7 February 2024, Time: 7:30 PM EST

Notes submitted by Seong Myeong Su Daesaseong, South Downs Chronicler.

Magister Lorenzo called the February meeting to order. Our Seneschal, Lady Raven Helmsplitter started recording the meeting and greeted the populace joining the Zoom meeting. Lady Raven read the Kingdom Anti-Bullying statement.

Officers’ Reports

Seneschal, (Lady Raven Helmsplitter)

• Schedule for this month:
  • Feb. 14th: online
  • Feb. 21st: online
  • Feb. 28th: in person meeting – Research Basics with Baroness Rhonwyn
• Thanks to all who came out to Midwinter and the Fighter Practice!
• We got the bid for RUM at UWG
  • Event stewards: Sumarlidi and Captain Brendan
• If you have a website as an officer, please check the website and submit any changes to keep the information up to date
• For the populace, we have a page for interests and information to be listed, so please contact the westminster if you need to update the page
• The Baron and Baroness want to meet with the officers sometime soon to discuss plans for 2024
• Officers, please email me if you haven’t already to update warrants and paperwork for the officers
• We are going to start collecting items from South Downs’ history to display at Red Tower 50, so if you have anything you’d like to be displayed as well, please let me know.

Herald (Magister Lorenzo Petrucci)     

• No activity for name or device submissions, please email me if you have something if you want to submit.
• Awards:
  • Midwinter
    • Lord Ælfric – Falcon’s Faith
    • Seong Myeong Su Daesaseong – Falcon’s Faith
    • THL Lykania – Court Barony
    • Magister Lorenzo – Meridian Majesty, Order of the Pelican
    • Acharya Mewadi Margavati Bai – Order of the Pelican

Knight Marshal (Lord Eiríkr Pálsson)

• We have been having practices that have been relatively well attended.  Completed a few authorizations at last weeks regional practice.  Regional practice was fairly well attended even with the horrible weather.  There were 5 youth fighters.  And also 2 brand new fighters in loaner gear.  Performed multiple authorizations and reauthorizations.  My squire brother Ajax got authorized for youth sparring. 
• There will be no practice on 11 February due to Knights Gambit and the Comicon demo and 25 February there will also be no practice, this is the week of MCA and I intend to be there to see his Excellency be recognized as a MoD.  As always I will post any changes to practices on the Atlanta SCA Fighting Facebook page.

Rapier Marshal (Captain Brendan de Hay)

1. Practices have been proceeding, weather and other events permitting.  Sundays starting around noon (concurrent with armored practice).  Schedule changes, cancellations, and any other relevant information is shared on the FaceBook group “Atlanta SCA Fighting,” and sometimes other locations depending on circumstances.  Loaner gear is usually available, but it doesn’t hurt to check the “Atlanta SCA Fighting” group in advance.  Sometimes when I’m not available, the “stunt marshal” might not be able to bring it.
2. BTW, “Atlanta SCA Fighting” is still visible publicly and searchable, but is now “Private” to keep the bots out.  If you have any trouble at all finding practice announcements, feel free to reach out directly to me or Ld. Eirikr.  It should be readable to anyone, but you’ll need to join in order to post.
3. Thanks to everyone for working together to keep practices happening.  I wouldn’t mind having a deputy step up who could take over from me in the not-too-distant future.  In the meantime, my continued thanks to our celebrity stunt marshal team, particularly Ldy. Ogata, Master Ximón, Master Nikoslav, et. al.
4. Big shout-out to folks recently giving rapier a try.  Looking forward to seeing more folks having fun!
5. Regional practice after MWAS was successful.  Fencing, lessons, a little meleé.  Good fun.
6. HYDRATE!

Live Weapons (Master Mathias Blackett)

• Supposed to have target archery practice at the regional fighter practice after midwinter, but the weather had other plans
• Target archery practice will be Feb. 24th, which is the same weekend as MCA
  • Combining target archery practice with equestrian and Meridian Calvary practice
  • Will be at Mistress Peryn’s farm

Exchequer (La Magnifica Justina di Silvestri)

• We have $4,708.22 in the bank
• 2023 Q4 has been submitted to Kingdom
• Complete numbers for MWAS will be ready for the March report
• Please get all event receipts to me by February 17th. You can email them to me at excheq.southdowns@meridies.org.
• As many are aware, the NMR fee for events will increase to $10 starting this April

Quartermaster (Maestra Isabetta de San Marco) 

• We have stuff, the new storage unit looks like it’s working out pretty well
• Still needs to be organized, but will need to set some time aside to do so
• Still looking for a deputy

Chatelaine (Lady Ogata Mitsuko)

• Nothing reported

Demo Deputy (VACANT)

• Demo at Comic Con coming up this weekend, come hang out and help out at the demo!

Arts & Sciences (Lady Maryam)

• We had a wonderful Midwinter A&S this weekend. Thank you to the autocrats, Her Grace Thorkatla, and Baroness Rhiannon for your help and guidance in making this happen.
• A shout out to Mathias Blackett who received a score of 20 on his Shakespearean soliloquy entry!
• I’m looking forward to Red Tower 50 right now – I definitely want to make sure we can show off all the prowess of our barony’s artisans!
• Thank y’all for being great!

Provost (Lord Ælfric Hort)

• Last month’s class night – Medieval Nicknames with Wenyeva – had 5 students in attendance.
• This past weekend was Midwinter A&S.  We had 80 total students take 26 different classes over the course of the day.
• This month’s A&S Class night will be February 28th – in person at Doraville Civic Center.  Baroness Rhonwyn will be teaching a class on Research Basics.  If you’ve ever wanted a bit more help or information on how to get started with researching that A&S project you want to start, don’t miss this class.
• Finally, I am still looking for a deputy Provost.  February of 2025 will be the end of my term in office and I would like to start training a replacement before we get deep into the planning season for Red Tower.
• As always if you have anything you would like to teach, please reach out.  I have openings most of the rest of this year through October.

Chronicler (Seong Myeong Su Daesaseong)

• Nothing new to report.
• Always looking to interview the populace for each issue, so please fill out this form to get included! Eventually I’d like to collect these into one PDF so we have a good collection of information about our members: https://forms.gle/MNxww3KUQJo2VsEG9
• Please submit photos, art, articles, shout-outs, or anything that you’ve found interesting and want to share! I’ll always be collecting stuff for the newsletters going forward. You can submit either through this form: https://forms.gle/8SyEF9D7c8rMCnZP6 or email me at chron.southdowns@meridies.org.

Social Media Minister  (THLady Agnes Halydaye) 

• We have media, we’re social, we’re doing just the most-ial!!

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Officer (DEIB), (Lady Lily of South Downs)

• No DEIB class for this month, but we can work on one for next month
• Please contact me if you want teach something, we can have the sessions in many formats, whether it’s a roundtable, a lecture, or more
• The DEIB office for South Downs is still going forward as of right now

Webminister (Lord Eiríkr Pálsson)

• Nothing significant to report.  
• For future events and needed updates please email me those to the web.southdowns@meridies.org email or use the request update link on the webpage.

Minister of Children (VACANT)

• Position is still open, if you are interested, please contact Lady Raven.

Their Excellencies, (Maestro Ximon Cordoba de Martillo & HE Rhiannon verch Madyn)

• Ximon and Rhi
  • We’d like to say thank you for all the work for Midwinter and congratulations to all those who received awards this weekend
  • Looking forward to basically having a repeat of the same thing at RUM in July
  • In March, we’re hoping to host a kick-off meeting to plan for Red Tower 50

SCA Business

• Midwinter A&S

• • • Baron Piers and Lord Eirikr
      • Event went smoothly, thank you to all volunteered to help make it happen
    • Magister Lorenzo
      • Shout out to Ælfric for taking advantage of the tools to schedule classes for Midwinter
      • Maybe work scheduling out with meetings and classes next time so that meetings line up with classes so people don’t have to miss two classes for one meeting
    • Baron Ximon
      • Shout out to Ysabel who did the Royal Luncheon, it was a fantastic lunch
      • As far as we know, no complaints!
      • South Downs rocks and pulled it off again!
    • Lady Maryam
      • Her Grace Thorkatla helped make the A&S go smoothly, as she always does

• Meridian Challenge of Arms

• • • Baron Ximon
      • If you’re planning on going to MCA on Friday, we could use some help setting up the pavilions 
      • We’ll have a hospitality table set up

• Royal University of Meridies

• • • Sumarlidi
      • In the planning stages, be on the lookout for for more information as it comes it coming weeks and months

• Red Tower 50

• • • Lady Raven
      • No bid yet, looking to do it at McIntosh
    • Baron Ximon
      • Looking to showcase the history of South Downs
      • Looking to host a panel/roundtable on the history of South Downs
      • Want to see if we can create tshirts for it and host special tournaments
      • Want to put together a website specifically for the event, not just a FB page
      • Master Rhydderch wants to build a full size trebuchet for the site
      • Bring your ideas to brainstorm on what we can do for Red Tower 50

• Castle Wars

• • • Lady Raven
      • Looking for bids, please contact me if you’re interested
      • Looking to use Bert Adams for Castle Wars

• Lady Lily

• • • Wondering if we have a Baronial Historian when we’re discussing showcasing South Downs’ history

• Baron Ximon

• • If you’re interested in becoming a Baronial Historian to help shape that office and start keeping track and recording our history
  • Will post a link to his virtual vigil
  • Discussion on display at Red Tower 50, possible tshirts, and other ideas

Non-SCA Business

• None reported

The business meeting was closed @ 8:36 PM EST

The next business meeting will be held on March 6th, 2024, 7:00 PM EST via Zoom Meeting.